Electrical time switch



June 3 1924. 1,496,744

J. J. RUDDICK ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH Filed Aug. 2. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Z5 43 Zr a INVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEYS.

June 3 1924.

J. J. RUDDICK ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH 2 5heeLsShe-et 2 Filed Aug. 2 1920By. 5 Z5 Z7 I l 39 NVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN .1. aunmcx, or wrsr nsw'ron,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL STREET SIGNAL CORPORATION, OFROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL Application filed August To all whom it my cmwem;

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RUnnIoK, a citizen of the United States, andresident of West Newton, in the county of Middlesex 6 and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrical Time Switches, of which the following is a specification,

The present invention relates to electrical 10 time switches and anobject thereof is to provide a time switch which is simple in operationand durable in use and will effectively secure the results desired.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts andcombinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, thenovel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of the switch in open position;

Fig. 2 shows the switch in closed position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of thevswitch; Fig.4 is an end view of the switch; Fig. 5 is a section on th'eline 5-5, Fig. 1; and v Fig. 6 is afragmentary view of the connectionbetween the movable contact and the armature of the electromagnet.

The switch embodies, in this instance, one or more contacts 1 eachpreferably yieldingly mounted, and to this end pivoted at 2 to a plate 3to which the conductor is secured at 4, a spring 5 being interposed be-35 tween the contact and the plate, normally to hold the contact inabutment with an insulatin prefera 1y secured rigidly to a frame 7 whichis supported on a base 8. Other con- 40 tacts, preferably two andindicated at 9, are

secured to an insulating piece 10 on aswinging frame 11 which is ivotedat 12 to the frame 7 below the bloc 6 and has a normal tendency to moveunder its own weight to 0 en the switch.

ovement of the contacts 9 to the contacts 1 is preferably secured by anelectromagnetwhich, in this instance, comprises two coils 13'connectedin series to binding posts 14 and 15, an adjustable resistance 16 beinginter'posed between the binding one ofthe coils. Cooperating with thepoles block 6. This insulating block is- .14 and rum swrrcn.

2, 1920. Seria1 N0.4O0,624.

17 of the two coils 13 is an armature 18 which is secured to a frame 19preferably.

made of brass and pivoted at 20 to the frame 7. This frame forms aconnection between the armature 18 and the pivoted frame 11 whichsupports the contacts 9. In this instance, the frame 19 extends upwardlyabove the armature and is provided with a bifurcated portion which formstwo stops 21 and 22. Arranged in this bifurcated portion between thestops is a detent 23 which is also bifurcated at its lower end tostraddle the frame 19, said lower end being'pivoted at 24 to the frame19. Theupper end of this detent is provided with an elongated way 25which cooperates with a roller 26 journalled on the under side of theframe 11. The pivot 24 is so situated with reference to the center ofgravity of the detent 23 that, when the detent is out of engagement withthe roller 26, the detent will drop by gravity toward the stop 21. Thisposi tion will be held when the armature is shifted by theelectromagnets, but upon the return movement of the armature or itsmove-- ment away from the electromagnet, the detent will, by reason ofits engagement with the roller 26, swing on the pivot 24 until the stop22 is reached and thereafter the detent 23 will move as one piece withthe frame 21 until such a time that the detent passes out of engagementwith the roller 26. When this takes place, the detent will move underthe action of gravity quickly away from the roller 26 so that theopening action of the switch will be quick, the weight of the frame 11producing this opening action.

In, order to effect the movement of the armature 18 away from theelectromagnet to open the switch, a motor mechanism is employedpreferably in the form of a helical spring 27 which is anchored at 28 toan adjusting screw 29 on the frame 7 and has its other end connected toa T-shaped lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 to the frame 7. This T-shapedlever is in turn resilientl connected by a spring 32 to an arm 33 whicextends from the frame 19 between the coils 13. The adjusting screwpermits the time of action of the switch to be varied, a greater tensionsecuring quicker action than a. small tension.

In order to retard the openin action, a retarding mechanism, preferab yin the form of an escapement mechanism, is employed. This embodies, inthis instance, a pallet 34 mounted on a rock shaft 35 andcounterbalanced by a double arm weight 36. This detent cooperates withan escapement wheel37 which, by a pinion 38, is geared to a large gear39. This lar e gear connects by a pawl and ratchet clutc 40 with apinion 41 meshing with a gear segment 42 formed on the arm 33.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The energization of the magnet draws the armature 18 toward the polepieces 17, thus causing engagement between the detent 23 and the roller26 which effects the engagement of the contacts 9 with the contacts 1,the latter moving slightly away from the insulator 6. This at the sametime stores energy in the spring 27 so that with the deenergization ofthe electromagnet, the armature with its frame 19 and detent 23 willmove to the initial or normal position. In this movement the extendedway 25 moves on the roller 26 while at the same time holding thecontacts I and 9 in en'- gagement. This movement is retarded by theescapement mechanism, which when the armature is attracted to theelectromagnet is not operated due to the fact that a clutch isinterposed'between the armature and the escapement mechanism. During themovement of the armature under the action of the motor mechanism, thedetent 23 swings on its pivot 24 toward the stop 22 and upon thereaching of the stop the detent 23 and the frame 21 operate as one'piece. When the end of the way 25 is reached, the detent will, underits own weight, swing on the pivot 24 and move quickly away from theroller 26, thus permitting a quick opening action of the switch.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a timeswitch of durable and simple construction. The opening of this switch iscontrolled by a motor mechanism with few parts, the retarding of themotor bein eifected by an escapement mechanism which has a clutchconnection with the armature so that such escapement does not operateduring the moving of the armature toward the electromagnet. The armatureconnects with the switch through a detent which is so formed that itmaintains connection between the switch contacts during the movement ofthe armature away from the electromagnet under'the action of the motormechanism, and yet. this detent permits the quick opening action of theswitch.

WhatI claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A time switch comprising a pivotally mounted switch part having aroller thereon. an electromagnet having a pivotally mounted armature, apivoted detent for moving the switch part mounted below such part,

- provided with-a wide bearing surface for engagement with the roller onthe switch part, having a movement relative to the armature and moved bythe armature to .,move the switch part, and a motor for movcontact, aspring opposing the movement of the armature toward the magnet, and aretarding device for retarding the movement of the armature away fromthe magnet.

3. A time switch comprising switch contacts, one of which is movablymounted, a. magnet having two ,coils arranged parallel with each other,an armature, a pivotally mounted armature lever having two arms, one ofwhich extends between the coils and the, other of which carries thearmature and two stops,a retarding device having clutch connection withone of the arms of the armature lever, a pivotally mounted memberarranged to operate between the two stops and cooperating with themovable contact, and a spring connected with the arm of the armaturelever lying between the two coils.

4. time switch comprising switch contactsfia detent, one of said partshaving an extended way and the other of said parts having a portioncooperating with said way, an electromagnet, an armature connected tothe detent and moved by the electromagnet to cause the detent to closethe switch, and a motor for moving said armature to cause the detent toefiect the opening of the switch, the connection betweenthe armature andthe detent being such that the detent moves independently of thearmature as the detent disengages with the portion which is connectedw1th the switch contact.

5. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has atendency to move away from the other, a detent having an extended waycooperating with the portion connected with said movable contact, anelectromagnet, an armature for the magnet havin aconnection with thedetent for causing the detent to close the switch as the armature isattracted by the electromagnet, said detent having a movement relativelyto the armature to permit the detent' to move quickly away from theportion on the movable contact at the fo mulation of III the engagementbetween said portion and the extended way, and a motor for moving saidarmature away from the electromagnet.

6. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has atendency to move away from the other, a roller connected to said movablecontact, a detent having an extended way thereon for cooperating withsaid roller, an armature having a connection with the detent to move thelatter to close and to open the switch, said connection permitting thedetent to move relativelyto the armature upon the disengagement of theroller with the ex- .tended way, an electromagnet ,for moving saidarmature in one direction, and a motor for moving said armature in theother direction.

7. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has atendency to move away from the other, a roller connected with saidmovable contact, a pivotaily mounted frame having two stops thereon, adetent pivotally mounted on said frame to cooperate with the stops andhaving an extended way for cooperation with said roller, an armaturemounted on said frame, an electromagnet-for moving said armature in onedirection, and a motor for moving said armature in the other direction.

8. A time switch comprising a pair of switch contacts, one of which hasa tendency to move toward and from the other, a roller connected withsaid contact, a pivoted member having two stops thereon, a detentpivoted on the pivoted member to operate between the stops, said detenthaving an extended surface for cooperating with the roller, an armaturemounted on the pivoted member, an electromagnet for moving the armatureand the pivoted member with the detent carried thereby to efiect theclosing of the switch, a spring connected to the pivoted member andhaving energy stored therein when the pivoted member is moved by theelectromagnet, and a retarding mechanism having a clutch connection withthe pivoted member to permit the pivoted member to move under the actionof the electromagnet without operating the retarding mechanism, saidretarding mechanism retarding the movement of the pivoted member underthe action of the s rin JOHN J. fiUl DlCK.

